Wolf Tails
by Serpent Lord
Summary: This is a story about Remus Lupin in his Fifth Year. It's PG13 because it gets a bit black in the later chapters. These arent going to be very frequent - I'm bad at typing!!! R/R!
1. Nightmare

Nightmare  
  
Remus Lupin lay in bed with his eyes closed, trying to remember what had happened the night before. His head was sore, he felt stiff and bruised, and he was very tired. He felt like a wall had fallen on him, and given him partial amnesia.  
  
He felt even worse as his memory returned - still a bit hazy, as it always was after a transformation. He remembered going with Dumbledore to the room under the Whomping Willow, and he remembered escaping, out into the branches, which explained the bruising.  
  
As Remus lay thinking, the rest of the room's occupants began to wake up. Peter Pettigrew fumbled his way to the bathroom, and Sirius Black looked at his watch, groaned, rolled over, and fell off the bed.  
  
James Potter was nowhere to be seen - Remus assumed he was at Quidditch practice, and would come back later, muddy and clutching his broomstick, in time for classes.  
  
But he was proved wrong when James came into the room carrying two enormous books. He stopped when he saw Remus looking at the books, and shifted his hand so that the titles were illegible.  
  
He went over to Sirius and whispered in his ear, then walked out again, clutching the books in one hand, while trying to smooth down his hair with the other.  
  
Sirius knocked on the bathroom door, and, when Peter opened it, muttered something to him. Remus heard the words "Forest" and "won't check there."  
  
After quickly changing into their day clothes, Peter and Sirius gathered a few textbooks and left. As they went, they said "See you at breakfast, Ray."  
  
Remus was pretty sure they were up to something, as they hadn't remarked on his bruises and his black eye, where the tree had hit him.  
  
He would have liked to stay in bed longer, as he was always tired after the first moon-night, but some of the teachers thought he was trying to milk his 'homolupine'-ness for sympathy, Professor MacCarthy especially. Patricia MacCarthy was the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, and had been against him coming to Hogwarts in the first place. Now that he was in Fifth Year, and growing into his 'Powers', she was petitioning Dumbledore to have him 'removed' from the school. She said that he was a menace to everyone in the school, and that monsters shouldn't be treated as equals.  
  
He sighed, and got up. It was at times like these that he missed his family. He wished he could to someone about the problems of being a wolf five days out of every month. He had thought that he could talk to his friends about anything, and, indeed, he used to be able to confide in them about the Change, but lately, they seemed to avoid the subject.  
  
And there were other problems he wanted to talk about, aside from the four- paws-and-fur thing. Things his friends didn't know about. Dumbledore knew, of course - he had made sure to find out everything he could about Remus' life, but there were some things that you couldn't talk to the principal about.  
  
Remus felt sick as he recalled the scene - neighbours crowding around the house, old friends whispering, and total strangers pointing at his family and shouting "Bloody werewolves!"  
  
The pointing and whispering was bad enough, but when people began to act upon their feelings and hurting not only him, but the rest of his family, did he really feel guilty. He was sure it was his fault they were being persecuted - after all, if he hadn't been a werewolf, then people would have had no reason to hurt them.  
  
He retched, then ran into the bathroom and threw up. He had broken his promise to himself and thought about Alice - his sister.  
  
She had only been five at the time, three years younger than him, and had looked even younger. She'd had long, curly red hair and brown eyes - he never understood how anyone could even think she was a werewolf, but they did.  
  
She had just started primary school when the community turned against the Lupin family. She had already made a few friends, but they were ordered to stay away from "that monster, Alice" by their parents.  
  
She hadn't understood what was happening - all she knew was that people were insulting her, and she couldn't think why. She drew into herself, gradually, so that it was only after a month or two that people realised how affected she was by all of it.  
  
By then, she wasn't speaking very much, and she avoided looking at people if she could help it. After another month of constant persecution, she just sat in a corner and stared into space, first for hours, then days at a time.  
  
Even at school, people began to notice. One of the braver and more sympathetic teachers spoke to Pat and Jan Lupin. She said that the standard of Alice's work had severely dropped, and that she was failing all her tests. She wasn't participating at all in class, and a few of the older students had started picking on her.  
  
Soon, these older students had been joined by more students of all ages, who progressed from taunting her to physically harming her. Frequently, she came home with blood on her clothes, and cuts and bruises on her body. The other members of the household were busy being tormented as well, and were usually too preoccupied to notice. When anyone did comment, there was no reply, as she had given up speaking totally by then.  
  
And then, one day, she didn't come home from school. The family was a bit worried, but it wasn't the first time she had been late. Remus' older sister, Laura, usually collected her from school, but the school was only a five-minute walk through the forest behind the house, with no streets to cross, so she sometimes walked home by herself.  
  
At dinnertime, they were very worried, and at bedtime, they started combing the forest for her, along with a couple of neighbours that had come to terms with Remus' 'difference'.  
  
At noon the next day, the police were called in. They combed the woods again, and questioned the inhabitants of the entire neighbourhood. It turned out that she had left school at the normal time, and had been seen going into the forest. For a few days, that was all they found.  
  
Then, the police found a witness. A lady walking her dog in the wood saw a little girl being thrown into a van by two people. In her statement, she said "I was going over to help the little girl, but as I got closer, I saw it was one of the Lupin monsters, and I thought that it could probably take care of itself."  
  
Two and a half painful and nerve-racking weeks followed, and then the police found her body, buried under some leaves in the forest.  
  
The family moved house and started over in a new neighbourhood, but with one less family member.  
  
Remus still blamed himself. He hated his Curse, and often tried to hurt himself while in confinement in his 'changing-room'. A sudden wave of nausea broke in on his musings. He vomited again, and then the combination of tiredness, pain (both emotional and physical) and stress overwhelmed him, and he fell on the floor in a faint. 


	2. Daytime Nightmare

I'd like to thank Badger and Pink Pen for helping me with these stories. It was Badger's idea in the first place, and she introduced me to this website, the best on the net (in my personal opinion!) Read their stories, because they're amazingly brilliant! And also because you probably won't be able to understand some of the later stories if you haven't! Alex is Badger's character, and Sirius Black's mortal enemy. To find out more, read 'Leaving Black'!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Anything you recognise isn't mine! It belongs to Ms Rowling, and I'd like to thank her for giving me the material for these stories. I'd like to apologise for not having this disclaimer on the first chapter, but it completely slipped my mind! Ooops!!!  
  
  
  
Daytime Nightmare  
  
He woke up in a bed surrounded by curtains. At first, he thought it was his own bed, but when Miss O'Reilly pulled back the curtains, he realised that he was in the hospital wing.  
  
Christine O'Reilly, the young matron, was very pretty, but quite strict as well. She didn't like people taking up hospital beds unless they were actually in need of medical assistance. (Sometimes, older boys came in with minor injuries and tried to convince her to let them stay, so they could watch her all night. It never worked)  
  
Remus was feeling awful, and the scene was still replaying in his mind, so he didn't notice an extra presence in the room. He looked up when a shadow fell over his sheets, and saw the headmaster and Miss O'Reilly at the end of the bed, arguing. He listened to the conversation.  
  
Miss O'Reilly was yelling "He's ill, Albus! You can't take him out of the hospital!"  
  
Dumbledore, calm as ever, replied "I know he's ill, Chris, but this is more important. He could -"  
  
"More important! He's very sick, Albus! I have to watch him!"  
  
"Chris, you can have him back first thing tomorrow morning, but tonight, he can't stay here. Remus, here are your clothes. It's nearly night. Put them on, and hurry." Dumbledore closed the curtains around the bed, and Remus squirmed into his clothes. Miss O'Reilly was right - he was sick. He nearly threw up whenever he moved, but he got into his clothes, and pulled back the curtains in time to see Miss O'Reilly giving Dumbledore instructions to say a calming spell every few minutes.  
  
Dumbledore looked like he wanted to argue, but he held it back, and pulled Remus out of the hospital wing. "Remus, we have to hurry. It's nearly time, and the passage is on the other side of the school. I'm sorry about the delay," Dumbledore said as they hurried through the school. "There was another fi . . . another argument in the staffroom, and I wasn't able to get away. If you do change in the corridor, I have the spells from Chris - maybe if I give you enough, I can carry you to your 'changing room'."  
  
"Was it about me, the argument?" Remus asked. "Was Professor MacCarthy petitioning again?"  
  
"Yes, she was, Remus. I'm afraid she's winning people over. They seem to think that a person qualified to deal with monsters knows more than, well, me! I know I'm not trained, but I know you, and I know it isn't your fault that some unpleasant things happen to you. You've coped very well through all this. Oh, I think I need to say a spell now." Dumbledore muttered a basic calming charm while they ran, thus preventing any further conversation.  
  
They were about a minute away from the passage when Remus began to change. He tried to keep in control of it, and ran faster, but he stumbled and lost his concentration. He felt his teeth and nails grow longer. Fur started sprouting, and his hearing and sense of smell sharpened.  
  
Dumbledore was trying to say a stronger spell, and he couldn't stop Remus from changing. He tried to pin him down, but the werewolf had smelled something.  
  
Remus struggled to get away from Dumbledore. He smelled fear, which usually meant someone had seen him. He wriggled loose, and ran straight into a tall, terrified girl with long hair and broad shoulders.  
  
Alex screamed and tried to run away, but the wolf's jaws closed around her arm and claws tore at her hair and clothes. Dumbledore found his voice and rushed to the fighting pair.  
  
He screamed countless spells at the werewolf while trying to drag him off Alex, but the wolf's hid was almost thick enough to repel them. Finally, a spell penetrated, and the wolf collapsed, unconscious. Dumbledore pulled out his wand, pointed it at Alex, and said "Petrificus totalus." She was lying on the floor, screaming and crying, but when the spell hit her, she froze.  
  
Dumbledore picked up the dormant wolf, and apologised to Alex, saying, "I've summoned Miss O'Reilly, and a few of the teachers. I'm sorry I can't stay with you, but you'll be safe now. I'll talk to you later." Then, with Remus over his shoulder, he walked down along the passage, then stopped at one of the many back doors to the school.  
  
Outside the door was a small dirt track. This brought him into the wood. From there, he walked on for about four minutes, and stopped when he reached the Whomping Willow.  
  
Using a long stick, he prodded the knot in the wood that immobilised the tree. The wolf over his shoulder was starting to stir, so Dumbledore ran down the tunnel, dropped him on the ground, and ran out again. Then he went back to the school, and up to the hospital wing to check on how Alex was doing. 


	3. Not Really First Blood

Disclaimer: Not mine, belongs to the Goddess, JKR, unfortunately, etc.  
  
  
  
Notes: To the snake-haters out there, this is a warning - Remus is a Parselmouth. Apologies, etc.  
  
  
  
Not Really First Blood  
  
"Ow!" Remus rubbed his head, then, his face hardening, he bashed it against the wall again. The skin caught on an uneven section of stone, and blood trickled into his eyes.  
  
He went into the bathroom and filled the basin with cold water. He plunged his head under for as long as his lungs could stand, then surfaced, gasping.  
  
Enveloped in his thoughts, he sat on the cold stone floor, and closed his eyes. A cough snapped him out of his reverie. Through the red haze of his pain, he saw James standing in the doorway.  
  
Remus got up, and washed his face again. Silently, James handed him a towel, and then stood still, a frown on his face. "Thanks, James," Remus muttered.  
  
"What happened this time, Ray? You fell against a suit of armour? Accident in Potions? Or the all-time-favourite, you fell down the stairs?" James voice was sharp.  
  
"I. . . I just had an accident, that's all."  
  
"Sure Ray. Oops, my hand slipped while I was holding a razor! Oh no, I slammed my hand through a door while I was opening it! Ray, just because you're angry doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself. I mean, that's probably the fourth time this month. Once more and I go to Dumbledore."  
  
"What do you care, James? Any time I want to talk, you're off with Sirius. And Peter. . . "  
  
"Anytime you want to talk?! Right so, off you go! Talk! Say on, Macduff! What's this big burden you have that makes you cut yourself, beat yourself up? I'm not hearing words, Ray! Fine! When you want to talk, you tell me. I'm still here, I've not gone far away. If you look hard enough, you'll find me."  
  
"Where, with Peter in the Forest?!"  
  
"You. . . you know about the Plan?" James stammered, shocked.  
  
"Pla. . . yeah, I know about it!" Remus improvised, completely bewildered.  
  
James was suspicious. "Tell me about the Plan, Ray. All the details - tell me what we're doing, what we're going to do. Tell me how and why!"  
  
"Fine, I don't know! I overheard you yesterday morning, talking to Sirius and Peter. Why are you able to tell Peter and not me, huh?!"  
  
"We will tell you, Ray, just not yet. When we're done, then we'll tell you. And you'll be glad we did it. It'll help you. I've got to go now, but I'll talk to you later."  
  
Remus was still annoyed, but it wasn't as bad now. At least he knew he would be told, and it would help him. His anger had been replaced with curiosity. What were they doing, and how would it help him?  
  
Still wondering, he began to tidy his stuff. Under his bed, he found a rat in his trap. It was squeaking, and running about. He smiled and lifted up the cage. It was a big one - almost a foot long, tail included.  
  
Moving his trunk aside, he started to hiss softly. He pulled up two of the floorboards with great ease - they had obviously been moved many times before.  
  
He pulled out a bigger cage and peered inside it. Then he checked the heat spell surrounding it. It was intact. Remus smiled as he tipped the rat into the cage and watched it being swallowed whole. (AN - I know feeding live animals to snakes is illegal, but I figure, Arsheba's a wizards snake, therefore probably magic herself, so she'll be grand!)  
  
"Good girl, Arsheba! You were hungry, weren't you?" he cooed.  
  
The snake nodded as if in agreement, and hissed at him. Remus hissed back. 


	4. Peeping Tom?

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise isn't mine, it's JKR's, etc, etc, etc.  
  
Notes: A couple of things I've forgotten to mention up to now - the Marauders are in Fifth Year in these stories, unless stated otherwise. Alex (Alexandria Leaving) is also in Fifth Year. She's a Ravenclaw, and is recently back from Durmstrang. She's one of the Ravenclaw Beaters. Read 'Leaving Black', by Badger, for further information. I HATE Peter Pettigrew!!! This will become apparent in my stories! But for my convenience, he's in Gryffindor. Apologies to anyone who disagrees!  
  
Peeping . . . Tom?  
  
Peter sifted through James' trunk. "Now where is it? I know it's in here somewhe. . . ah!" He punched the air in triumph, then pulled out the silvery cloak and wrapped it round his shoulders. He walked to the mirror and sighed in envy of this wonderful cape.  
  
Then he laughed at the strange sight of his head floating in mid-air. The cloak didn't look like much - the thin weave didn't look like it could keep anything warm, but that wasn't the point. The silvery material enabled you to drape it over your head, making you totally invisible while also letting you see through it.  
  
Peter tried to cackle and grin evilly, but he choked and bit his tongue, so he gave up and headed for the girls' changing room, the cloak over his head.  
  
~  
  
Alex whacked the Bludger high into the air in triumph, causing every member of the Slytherin team to leap off their brooms and crouch on the muddy ground, trying to cover their heads with their arms.  
  
Alex grinned as the rest of her team cheered, and as the Slytherins got up and tried to wipe their robes, attempting to look dignified.  
  
Suddenly, the two other female members of the team grabbed Alex by the arms and frog-marched her in the direction of the changing room.  
  
"Hey, cut it out, lads! I know where the changing room is!" Alex pushed them off, only half-joking.  
  
"Sorry, Alex, got a bit carried away!" "Yeah, what with the winning streak and all!" The two girls were excited, so Alex decided to leave them get on with their play-by-play description of the match.  
  
When they left twenty minutes later, they were still giving their rendition of the game. Alex breathed a sigh of relief and began to clean her bat - something she never did in front of anyone. It calmed her down.  
  
~  
  
Peter settled down on top of one of the rows of lockers. He had barely got comfortable when Alex and two other girls from the Ravenclaw team came in, joking and laughing. They were wet and muddy, which, he thought, would put any normal person in a bad mood, but Alex, normally so moody, was laughing as well.  
  
What seemed like an hour passed without much action, but then the two chatting girls left, and Alex sat down, obviously much happier, and started to clean her bat. She began to hum, then to sing. She has such a lovely voice, Peter thought. I wonder if that's Russian? Maybe that's where Durmstrang is, in Russia.  
  
Then Alex started to talk to herself. Peter couldn't hear the exact words, but "Sirius" kept popping up, and she seemed to be getting angry.  
  
She began to change her clothes, to Peter's delight. But his smile faded when she dropped her bag in the dirt. A cloud of dust was rising, and it was making his asthma act up. Soon, he'd sneeze or cough, and then she'd find him. Shit, he thought, don't let that happen!  
  
Unfortunately (AN: or, rather, fortunately!!!) it did happen. A huge cough erupted from his chest, followed by a wheeze not even a deaf person could have missed. Alex stiffened, then pulled on her skirt. Peter relaxed, prematurely.  
  
When Alex was fully dressed, she picked up her bat, packed her filthy robes into her bag and walked straight to the corner where Peter was sitting. Almost as if she could see him, she grabbed a handful of cloak and pulled. The cloak came off Peter, who came off the lockers, right into the dust.  
  
As he lay on the ground, wheezing, Alex put her bag on the bench, then dragged Peter to his feet. He gulped, looked up at her, and cringed when he saw the look of disgust on her face.  
  
He should have just apologised and walked out, but instead, he started to plead with her not to tell anyone. Too late, he stopped, but the damage had been done. The dark clouds of fury crossed the sky that was Alex's face.  
  
Peter started talking again, apologising and grovelling. Alex flicked her foot-long ponytail out of her face, hitting Peter in the face with it as it went over her shoulder. Then the muscles in her left arm, the one holding the bat, tensed, and she swung it right into Peter's still- open mouth.  
  
He screamed as it connected with his teeth and nose. Blood started to pour from his nostrils, and his two front teeth came out, accompanied by more blood.  
  
During all this, Alex hadn't said a word. Now she picked up his teeth, put them in his hand, and said "Put them under your pillow, the tooth fairy might come tonight."  
  
Peter looked up and whimpered. Alex said "Oh, go to the fuckin' sick ward. They'll grow your teeth back!"  
  
As he tottered off, Alex looked down at the blood all over the floor. Her face remained blank. Then she caught sight of her bat, blood dripping off it. "That bastard! I had it perfect!" 


End file.
